1. The Renaissance and Reformation Period 1485-1660
Mrs. Green
British Literature
Unit 2: Poetry & Satire

2. The English Renaissance
The period traditionally begins with the death of Richard III of the House of York who was replaced by Henry VII of the House of Lancaster.

3. House of Tudor
King Henry V (House of Lancaster) — Catherine of Valois — (secret affair or marriage) Owen Tudor
| |
Henry VI Edmund Tudor
(heir to throne and later king in 1422) |
Henry VII (begins House of Tudor and becomes king in 1485)

4. The Renaissance “Renaissance” is a French term meaning “rebirth”
refers to the intellectual and economic changes that occurred
began in Italy ( ) and spread north through Europe and up to England ( )
innovations in the arts, sciences, and exploration
revival of learning based on classical sources
emphasized human aspiration
people became more curious about themselves and the world
changes in values, beliefs, and behavior

5. Return to the Classics
European neoclassicists turned to ancient Greek and Roman cultures as models for how to lead a good life
philosophy, literature, math, and the sciences
return to the old leads to new thoughts and innovations

6. Humanism
Humanism was an intellectual movement focused on human interests, creativity, and accomplishments
Optimistic view of human nature was displayed in the arts (capability of perfection)
Humanism was the driving force behind Renaissance thought—and figures such as Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Galileo.

7. Humanism Two important Humanists: Erasmus and More
both loved life, laughter, and classical learning
both were dedicated church men who became impatient with the church’s corruption
Humanism sought to harmonize the classics with the teachings of the church:
What is a human being?
Why am I here?
What is a good life?
How do I lead a good life?

8. Humanism
technological and scientific developments
advancements in literacy
discovery of the New World
trade with other continents
All of these changes led to economic gain and the rise of the common man!

9. Manifest Destiny
People directed their own courses rather than being directed solely by the nobility and church

10. Innovation
Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press around A.D. during the Holy Roman Empire
movable blocks of individualized letters
mechanized the transfer of ink from movable type to paper
less expensive, faster process, and allowed mass production
Gutenberg Bible: the first major book printed using this mass- produced movable type
Started the “Guttenberg Revolution” in printing of texts and literature, as well as availability

11. Science
Nicolaus Copernicus was a Renaissance mathematician and astronomer who formulated a model of the universe that placed the Sun rather than the Earth at the center of the universe (known as heliocentricism, meaning “sun-centered”).
Galileo Galilei has been called the "father of the scientific method” and is most known for his discovery of the four most massive moons of Jupiter, now called the Galilean moons.
Galileo also supported the Copernican idea of a heliocentric solar system, despite opposition.

12. Reformation
Humanism resulted in a Protestant split with the Catholic Church.
This split was known as the Reformation.
Martin Luther, a German theologian, rejected several teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, including the buying of indulgences.
He wrote his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517 to dispute these practices.
taught that salvation and eternal life are received only through faith in Christ, not earned by good deeds
translated the Bible into the vernacular (common language) instead of Latin, so that the common man outside of the clergy could read it
stressed the Bible (not the Pope) as the sole authority and source of divinely revealed knowledge from God
encouraged marriage among the clergy in the reformed churches (unlike Catholic priests)
His followers came to be known as Lutherans, though the split brought about multiple Protestant denominations over time.

13. Henry VIII
Meanwhile, Henry VIII started the Church of England in 1533 when the pope denied his request for a divorce from his first wife so that he could marry Anne Boleyn.

14. Henry VIII
After naming himself head of the Church of England, Henry VIII worked his way through a series of six wives until his final wife bore him a son.
This is a poem about the fates of Henry’s wives:
Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived . . .

15. Bloody Mary
When Henry VIII died, his son Edward VI became king but only lived to be sixteen.
Edward’s half-sister Mary ascended to the throne.
Mary, the daughter of Catherine of Aragon, declared England a Catholic nation and had so many Protestants executed that she earned the name “Bloody Mary.”

16. The Elizabethan Age
After Mary died, the daughter of Henry and Anne Boleyn was crowned as Elizabeth I.
England once again became a Protestant nation.

17. Elizabeth’s Reign
Elizabeth reigned over Britain at its height as the British navy defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588 and became a superpower.

18. Elizabethan Theater
The English theater flourished during Elizabeth’s reign, as playwrights such as William Shakespeare and Ben Jonson competed for top billing.

19. When Elizabeth died in 1603, her cousin James VI of Scotland became James I of England.
James sponsored Shakespeare’s acting troupe, which came to be known as The King’s Men.

20. The English Civil War
Charles I, son of James I, followed his father to the throne.
Charles’s excesses led to the English Civil War ( ) led by Puritan Oliver Cromwell.
Charles I was beheaded and Cromwell was named Lord Protectorate of England.
Charles II fled to France.

21. End of the Period
The period ends with the restoration of Charles II to the throne in 1660.

22. The Restoration
Charles II was restored to the throne in 1660 after the Royalists (also called Cavaliers) overthrew the Puritans (also called Parliamentarians or Roundheads).